January 18, 2006

2006 Policy Agenda for Virginia’s Free Clinics
Additional State Investments Are Critical To Meet Growing Needs

Virginia’s Free Clinics delivered health care services to 63,625 low-income, uninsured Virginians in 2004, an increase of 35% from 2004. 

Despite the growth in patients served during the past three years, Free Clinics still were forced to turn away an estimated 36,000 Virginians, due to lack of capacity and under-funding.

VAFC has submitted requests for the following budget amendments to enable Virginia’s Free Clinics to serve 5,000 additional Virginians in need during the coming biennium:

$450,000 for Free Clinic disease state management programs
House patron:  Del. Hamilton; Senate patron:  Sen. Houck

1. 58% of Free Clinic patients have one or more chronic illnesses, requiring extensive and ongoing medical care, care coordination, and patient education.
2. Funds will be distributed to established Free Clinic disease state management programs for the direct provision of care to low-income, uninsured adults that have one or more chronic illnesses.

$300,000 for Free Clinic dental programs
House patron:  Del. Hamilton; Senate patron: Sen. Houck

1. From 2001 to 2004, Free Clinic dental visits grew by 155%, yet many Free Clinic dental programs report that they are still turning away large numbers of patients seeking dental services.
2. Funds will be distributed to established Free Clinic dental programs for the direct provision of dental care to low-income, uninsured adults through the use of volunteer and charitable dental resources and partnerships with other public and private organizations.

$235,000 for Free Clinic mental health programs
A unanimous recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care
House patron:  Del. Brink; Senate patron:  Sen. Houck

1. From 2001 to 2004, Free Clinic mental health counseling visits grew by 417.2%!  The second most prevalent chronic disease among Free Clinic patients statewide is depression. 
2. Funds would reside in the DMHMRSAS budget for voluntary use by local CSBs to contract with established Free Clinic mental health programs to deliver outpatient, non-emergency mental health services to a limited number of low-income, uninsured adult patients.

What Virginia Gets for the Added Investment:
With these additional funds totaling $985,000, Free Clinics will serve approximately 5,000 more uninsured patients with 14,500 patient visits worth nearly $5.5 million and resulting in millions more in cost savings to Virginia’s hospitals, Medicaid program, and mental health system. $0 will be used for administrative costs.

In addition to these funding requests, VAFC is initiating the following legislation to expand Free Clinic volunteerism among retired physicians and other medical professionals:

HB 1487 (Patron: Del. Orrock) – a bill to create a restricted volunteer license for retired physicians and other Board of Medicine licensees who volunteer in Free Clinics

For additional information, contact: Mark Cruise or Mara Servaites Virginia Association of Free Clinics (804) 340-3434

Phone:
(804) 340-3434

Fax:
(804) 340-3435

Email:
mara@vafreeclinics.org